New shite! - 1985 Suzuki Alto FX

[trigger]

During the week i had a message on my Flickr about this little Suzuki Alto that i took a photo of two years ago.

 

 

The owner messaged me to say it was his car and that he was scrapping it due to a knackered head gasket, now that seemed a shame as it was a tidy little car from what i could remember, he said the garage had him quoted £650 to repair it as well as replace the radiator (the cause of the head gasket issue) and it needed a battery so it wasn't worth repairing, he said the scrappy had offered him £130 for and If i wanted it could have it for the same money.

 

This morning I went around to collect the car, It's tiny! It reminds me of a cross between a go kart and a Mini, like a Jap hybrid of the two, The lad who owned the car said the story was it belong to a old boy who's his mum did some cleaning for, one day four years back he was backing out of his drive when he hit a post and damaged the door, that put him off driving so he sold it do this lads mum for £300, it had only 10000 miles at this time, this lad then used it for 4 years putting another 12000 miles on it bring it up to 22000 miles, It's his first car and he's quite attached to it.

 

As the car was only a few streets away the lad drove it back to mine as he wanted to keep the road tax to cash back in and I ran him home again, I took it for a spin around the block earlier, It's amazingly good fun, the engines only a 3 cylinder 796cc and has a unique tone, it's quite pokey too!.

 

It's remarkably rust free and looks like it's been waxoyled from new, there was a big dent in the rear door from where the old boy hit it but that's mostly pushed out now, the SW radio doesn't work but I think it's had a stereo fitted looking at the wiring.

 

My 1985 Suzuki Alto FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

Before and after on the rear door.

 

My 1985 Suzuki Alto FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

My 1985 Suzuki Alto FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

Orginial dealer stickers and plates.

 

My 1985 Suzuki Alto FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

The interior is quite grubby but I'm hoping it will clean up ok.

 

My 1985 Suzuki Alto FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

My 1985 Suzuki Alto FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

The back windows pretty cool, the gas strut is a bit weak though.

 

My 1985 Suzuki Alto FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

How hard can the head gasket be?.

 

My 1985 Suzuki Alto FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

After washing it, and i don't think it's been washed for years, I'm left with this hard dirt, I'm going to have to get busy with my polishing mop I think.

 

My 1985 Suzuki Alto FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

All my old mots and services etc.

 

My 1985 Suzuki Alto FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

It's already attracting the pussy!, oh and the roof has quite a few dents which is a shame, it's not surprising though, the metal work is really thin!

 

My 1985 Suzuki Alto FX by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Hey thats well smart trigsbury. I bet doing the HG on it is a piece of cake, it looks a mega purchase for 130 sheets. Excellent cat footage as well!

[Jim Bell]

That interior is quite arousing. Luxury twin horn buttons. Which will be of use as al lot of folk wont see you.

Really is tiny. Unless that cat is a Lion.

 

Lovely though.

[Shep Shepherd]

What a cutie!

 

Amongst other things, I like the Sunbeam-style glass hatchback.

[Doctormop]

Looks a straight little thing that,

Whats the plan Trig, is it a keeper?

[Skizzer]

Trig my friend, you are a winner. Hope you get the HGF sorted in an inexpensive fashion.

 

 

Anyway, what was the story with the bricks? Don't tell us you didn't ask?

[Mr Lobster]

Can't imagine the HG to be a big job at all. Looks a nice car though, XLNT WORKZ.

[Negative Creep]

More importantly, did you find out what happened with his door?

[trigger]

Whats the plan Trig, is it a keeper?

 

It all depends on how the head gasket job goes and if the heads warped, Mrs Trig drove it round the block earlier and loved it commenting on it's good brakes and peppy performance as well as how easy it was to drive.

 

She only does 4000 mile a years, if that as she only works 2 miles from home, and as her works car it's 1960's multi story the parking spaces are tiny so it would be ideal for her really.

 

I didn't ask about the brick work or door although I couldn't stop looking at it after all the comments you lot made!

[dollywobbler]

That's brilliant. Hope the anti-HGF work proceeds easily. Looks like not that much longer of its old life and it would have started to go in quite a few areas, so I'm glad it's found an enthusiast before it's too late.

[Pete-M]

Top shiteing! Looks very tidy on the whole. HG should be easy enough to sort.

[wuvvum]

That does look rather sweet, bless it. As you say, head gasket looks (from the photo at least) to be a piece of piss. Don't think you've gone far wrong there for £130 - I'd be happy to buzz about in that.

[Spiny Norman]

That looks like quite a bargain Trig. Its tiddly dimensions makes kitty look huge!

[Cheggers]

Very nice Trig

 

There's a definite hint of Metro about the rear view, looks far more modern than it actually is.

[Split_Pin]

That looks like a little win-mobile! Great purchase. that will look minted once its fully cleaned up, which looks like all it will need apart form the HG.

 

A neighbour of mine used to have a silver round-lights model, but that was at least 20 years ago.

 

The engine makes the 3-pot in my Corsa look like a boat anchor!

[Cavcraft]

Sterling stuff, Triggle charger. The interior is fab and the paint will come up a treat with very little effort. Obv. the buffer will help but some decent paint cleaner and elbow grease should see that grained in stuff come out ok.

For what you paid it's an absolute bargain, you've done really well with that.

[ProgRocker]

Wow! Nice buy Trigger. These small sub 100cc cars really appeal to me.

 

This must be like a Citroen AX to drive - very lightweight and a pokey engine for decen acceleration!

[trigger]

Thanks guys, my lack of recent car mojo is restored again! I just hope i can find all the part to keep it on the road, ebay seems quite handy, headset's £34 and Radiators £40 which is cheap enough.

 

very lightweight and a pokey engine for decen acceleration!

 

I only ran it around the block as i don't want it to get warm but i did put my foot down briefly and it was very revvy and eager to please and the engine note was great, shame about all the smoke coming out the back of it though!.

 

Oh and it's still running all four of it's original Dunlop SP tyres, I might have to change them!

[trigger]

[wuvvum]

[skattrd]

Great purchase sir, there can't be many of these left.

 

If there are serious engine probs I'm sure there are similar sized engines in other vehicles that should fit ... Being old school with little electric stuff should keep things simple.

[brickwall]

I'm very jealous trig. I never remembered them as that small!

 

I'll bet it's jammed full of win.

[trigger]

I'll bet it's jammed full of win.

 

Even more so when I'm in it!

 

Serious question time now, The lad took the road tax back with him so he could cash it in which i guess now means I'll have to declare it SORN, now does that also mean I have to insure it now too?, It's going to be keep off road for a month or so until it's fixed but I don't know what the new law is regarding insurances is?.

[skattrd]

Unless I'm mistaken the current rules are (subject to change)

 

If the car is taxed it needs to be insured.

If the car is sorn it doesn't need to be insured.

[wuvvum]

No, if it's on a SORN it doesn't need to be insured.

 

EDIT: Beaten to it.

[trigger]

Cheers guys, that's one problem sorted then!

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

What an awesome little car

[walk]

Phwoarr. That is all

[Lankytim]

I do love that! I bet it's great to drive!

 

GLWTHGF

[cort16]

That's excellent. You won't need a garage just can put it in the shed next to the lawnmower. I bet running a claybar or something over it would be worth doing before hitting it up with the mop. Looking forward to HG updates.